Clallam County WSU Master Gardeners begins weekly plant clinics for the 2010 season in Sequim and Port Angeles in April.

Local Master Gardener volunteers at the clinics answer gardening questions, help

diagnose insect and plant disease problems in home landscapes and help clients research solutions.

Bill Wrobel, president of the Master Gardener Foundation of the Olympic Peninsula, said, "Helping home gardeners solve plant problems is our major activity. Clinics are a focal point in our mission to educate the public about sustainable gardening practices."

The clinics are free. No appointments are necessary.

People with questions are asked to bring in bagged samples of healthy and damaged areas of plants, including stem, leaves, flowers, fruits or cones, and living specimens of pests.

Clinics are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays from April 3-Sept. 25 at the Co-Op Farm & Garden store, 216 E. Washington St., Sequim.

Clinics also will be held from 9 a.m.-

1 p.m. Mondays from April 5-Oct. 25 at the WSU Extension office in the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

The first plant clinic in Forks will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 15, at the Auto Tech Center in conjunction with the Bogachiel Garden Club plant sale. Additional clinics will be held under cover outside the Forks Library from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 12, July 10, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11.

Clallam County Master Gardeners is a cooperative program between Washington State University and Clallam County. Its volunteers also address environmental and social priorities such as water conservation, water quality, invasive species and healthy living through gardening.

For more information, call Muriel Nesbitt, program coordinator, WSU Master Gardeners of Clallam County, at 565-2679.